The Crimson Silence

Into the Darkness - Part 1

Jake wasted no time once he connected the dots. His mind raced back to the parking lot, where Nathan had asked questions that suddenly felt like traps. The way Nathan phrased his questions about the shooting, particularly asking if Jake had seen the moon, tipped him off. Jake had never been facing the moon. Whoever the sniper was, had been positioned in a direction where the moon shone brightly.

Jake revved his bike, cutting through traffic like a knife, his heart hammering in his chest. He called Lisa on the way, telling her to bring Sam to the hospital. Lisa, Sam, and Cynthia had all arrived a few minutes before Jake. As soon as Jake parked his bike, he sprinted inside the hospital. His eyes immediately caught sight of Angela, who was speaking with a group of officers. He rushed over, pulling her aside.

"Jake..." Angela's voice was low, concerned, and stressed.

"Angela... Did you see them? Are they okay?" Jake's voice trembled, barely catching his breath.

"Both are in surgery," she said, pausing. "They lost a lot of blood, Jake." Her voice shook, her eyes darting away as she struggled to find the right words.

Before Angela could finish, Lisa saw her brother and called out, "Jake!" Her face streaked with tears.

Jake ran to her and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close. Sam and Cynthia followed, forming a tight circle. Angela stood back, watching the reunion with sorrow in her eyes. The weight of the situation hung heavy in the air.

"I was there... when it happened," Jake choked out, his voice shaky.

The others turned to him, shock registering on their faces.

"How?" Sam asked, his voice a whisper.

"I went to pick up ink for my printer, and Katie texted me that she was at Joe's. I just waved at them both and left. Then... it happened."

They all stood in silence, trying to absorb the gravity of Jake's words. He felt a deep sense of guilt clawing at him, even though there was nothing he could have done. Time seemed to slow down as they waited for news from the operating room, praying for both Katie and Mathew to pull through.

Jake, lost in his thoughts, stepped outside, pulling out his phone. He needed to let Alexandra know what had happened-and he needed her help to get something that couldn't be easily acquired.

"Jacob, mon cher! I'm so sorry... are you okay?" Alexandra's voice came through, filled with concern.

Jake could barely process her words, his mind racing elsewhere. After a few moments of silence, he finally spoke, his voice low and tense. "Alexandra... I need a gun. Now."

"A gun?" Alexandra's shock was palpable. "Jacob... qu'est-ce que tu vas faire?" she asked, her voice filled with worry.

"Can you help me or not?" Jake's tone turned sharp, cutting through her hesitation.

There was a brief pause as Alexandra gathered herself, her voice steadying. "Anything specific?"

"Beretta 92FS with a silencer. And ammo."

"I'll call Neil. He'll be in touch," Alexandra replied, her tone now all business. But before they hung up, her concern slipped through once more.

"S'il vous plaît, soyez prudent..."

"I will," Jake responded quietly, and ended the call, his mind already focused on what needed to be done next.

Though every fiber of his being screamed to leave and take action, he couldn't abandon Lisa, Sam, and Cynthia in this storm. He had to wait, for now.

Hours dragged on, and by 6:30 PM, a surgeon finally emerged. The group rushed forward, hope and fear mingling in their eyes.

"Mr. Briggs lost a lot of blood, and there was significant tissue damage in his neck," the surgeon began, pausing as if to prepare them for the worst. Angela stepped closer, bracing herself. "But we did everything we could, and now he needs time and support to recover."